


Prophecies and Consequences?

by SlySama



Series: Unfinished Works. [14]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 00:46:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14759409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlySama/pseuds/SlySama





	Prophecies and Consequences?

' It is said within an ancient tome, written by four great souls, thousands of years ago, that when a great danger threatens the world of the Magical, a baby will be marked by Destiny. I'll fated to bare a mark of grave importance. He will stand alone from one year of age; gone will his parents be and family non existant. In this dark time, only one will keep him grounded, this; this one will equal him in power and the share the fate bestowed upon him, share the ache of dispair in his heart and fill it. 

He will come to understand who this person is and how much importance they bare in his life as the clock strikes midnight of Sixteenth Birthday; when his true magical abilities will awaken within him. ' 

 

The sun had only just begun to loom over the hills on the horizon, the sky still dark with midnight blue colours and dark looming clouds, but perhaps those clouds were of an impending storm later. The inhabitants of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so early in the morning were all still tucked in their warm beds and safe dormitories, except one, of course. 

This boy barely slept anymore, overrun we're so many of his dreams with horrible things of late, that he couldn't bare to rest for a minute for fear the nightmares would reach him. It was bad enough he'd seen death so much already and he was only 15, why must they haunt his dreams? He knew his friends worried for his health, he looked unwell, he knew this...but Pomphrey refused to let him take dreamless sleep anymore; he'd become addicted to it otherwise, she said. It was for the best, she said. 

But it was useless, he couldn't sleep...he didn't want to see all their faces again...didn't want to hear all their screams...their cries for help, pleas for mercy or see their mangled bodies. He shivered now just thinking about it, wrapping his cloak around him tighter and slouching further against the corner of the window in which he sat against and looked through. Droplets of water had begun to hit the pane and slide down, seeming as if the picture on the window itself were crying and sorrowful. He sighed, this was his life... 

He spent most nights like this, sitting against this very window pane and looking onto the grounds of Hogwarts and the Giant Squid that inhabitated the Black Lake. His thoughts swirling and tears building at the edges of his eyes, threatening to fall, but never doing so.   
The sun rose steadily higher as the minutes ticked by, the clouds however remained, the light spattering of rain too; apparently a storm was immending. Slowly he rose, soon it would be seven and the students would be rising, hurrying down to breakfast before classes at eight. Slowly he walked, taking his time, he was in no rush and he no longer ate anyway, another thing the he knew made him look sickly, but the need to eat just never came...he was never hungry, actually the very thought of food sometimes made him ill. 

He swallowed bile as it rose dauntingly up his throat and a wave of dizziness overtook him, he reached out blindly, thanking Merlin that his hand came in contact with a rough stone wall and he hunched over, praying he didn't fall. As much as he appreciated Pomphrey for her work, he didn't appreciate the Infirmary quite so much, though Heaven only knew he ended up there enough times to send him barmy from the smell. Why so much disinfectant? 

Well no matter, he would not end up there today he thought, as he shook himself and continued on his path down to the Great Hall, in the amount it took him to walk from his destination to the Hall, and shake off another dizzy spell, (Excuse the pun), the sun had risen completely into the sky, partially being concealed however by storm clouds, it barely reached into the large windows and clear ceiling of the Great Hall. 

Several students were already there it seemed, chatting animatedly and pointing at the ceiling, "Seems a storms approachin'?" "Thank Prof. Hagrid will call of Care of Magical Creatures?" "Dunno, probs' not..." They both shrugged and went back to buttering toast and drinking juice as Harry stumbled by, hand on the edge of the table to keep himself upright, as suddenly everything became blurry around the edges. 

'It's getting worse, I guess...' He thought, plopping himself down into a seat to wait for his friends. 

//\\\//\\\

It didn't seem to take long, as approx. 15 minutes later the Hall was filling with grumbling, animated and chatty students! His friends just a few of the first ones in before the doors jammed up. He smiled at them as he usually did as they sat down and said their good morning', right before Ron stuffed his face full of bacon and scrambled egg; Harry scrunched up his nose, not just at his friends appalling table manners but from the mere smell of the egg, that sat taunting him on Ron's half empty plate. 

He could feel the bile begin to return and quickly swallowed it down with orange juice, careful to not make a gagging noise as it came up and went back down disgustingly; he cringed a little as he took notice of Hermione frowning in concern; from under his fringe. "Harry are you feeling alright?" Comforting but not appreciated day in and day out, he only sighed though and nodded his head, "I'm fine Hermione. Honestly." 

He knew she didn't buy it, but it's not like she could help. 

As everyone chatted and ate breakfast, Harry remained heavy-lidded and once more ignored the pile of food Hermione insisted upon putting on his plate every morning, though she knew he would not eat it. He sighed again and ran his spork ( a cross between a spoon and a fork, quite handy) through the sludge of yellow scrambled egg jiggling there grossly. If she had taken notice of him earlier, could she not assume that he wouldn't want egg? Though maybe she just thought it was Ron's manners, but then, everyone was used to that by now, having seen it for almost 6 years constantly. 

Of course, he never ate it anyway, so why was he complaining? 

DIIIING DOOOOONG DIIING DOONG!

An invisible amplified bell went off, jerking everyone out of their own little worlds and conversations. It was time to get to the first class of the day...which would be...for him...URG, Potions. Unfortunately. 

Harry was flat out concentrating in the class before, now...  
...He'd blown a cauldron to smithereens last class and had been dragged out by his ear by Professor Snape and locked outside the rest of the class, not to mention he'd been given detention for that entire week. 

He still needed to hand in the foot of parchment that expressed his deepest apologies for what he'd done to precious hard to aquire ingredients and dozens of ruined perfect potions, he needed to apologise to the whole class. Harry dragged his feet behind Ron and Hermione, suddenly very conscious of what he'd written on the foot of parchment and what he'd complied to say to his classmates. He heaved a large breath, running his hands through his already messy hair as they neared closer and he took notice of a scowling, cross armed Snape leaning on the doorframe. 

He swallowed as he stepped up to him and the scowl deepened, "Get in." His longer finger pointed to the front of the classroom, intentional or not Harry wasn't sure, but he shuffled into the room and stood in the front of the room, feeling like a naughty child. A throat cleared itself, "You will apologise to me first Mister Potter, then your classmates." His arms were once more crossed when Harry looked to him; a nod and hands trembling, Harry reached into his knapsack and removed the rolled up parchment, holding it out, he waited. 

Snape blinked his onyx eyes, completely unconcerned with the trembling brat in front of him. "Read it." There was a pause in which Harry's green eyes widened in alarm and someone snickered in the back of the room, "Aloud, now. Mister Potter." 

Harry swallowed, 'Seriously?!' 

Clearing his throat several times, Harry turned fully to face his Professor and opened the scroll, jerking his head down to hide his flaming face behind his hair, he began to read, shakily. This was so humiliating!! 

"Um...Sir, Professor Snape.   
I would like to aplogise for blowing up hard to aquire ingredients and...  
Blowing up an expensive cauldron. I was not...paying attention in class, and I...didn't read the material we were told too the previous night..." 

He bit his lip hard, as some began to laugh, Snape's face even seemed to quirk in bemusement but that could of been Harry's imagination. "I..." There was a clearing of a throat before Snape spoke, "Honestly Mister Potter? Your apology is pathetic and if I were to grade it, you would receive a T, for Terrible. Write it again, sit." He flicked his wand to the side and conjured a desk, Harry groaned. 

//\\\//\\\

Apology for Professor Snape. 

I, Harry James Potter do formally apologise to England's 1# ranked Potions Master, Professor. Severus Snape.   
I feel horrible for ruining hard to acquire potions ingredients paid by Professor Snape's own hard earned money trying to teach us Dunderheads and if he choices, I will pay for and buy every ingredient I have destroyed and anything I had previously taken from his stores. 

I would also like to apologise for destroying an expensive cauldron I had bought with my dead parents hard earned money handed down to me to use wisely, which henceforth, I will not take for granted. If Professor Snape still has the urge to punish me for this, he can punish as he sees fit. 

Harry James Potter. 

 

Harry swallowed, gulping and biting his lip throughout writing the entire thing, still feeling as if it wouldn't satisfy the Potions Master one bit. Gradually, his eyesight had blurred and he'd let his hand scribble across the parchment, but it seemed okay? He sighed dejectedly, the green of his eyes dulling and his complextion whitening. 

Echoing throughout his mind, Harry was sure he could hear sobbing. Perhaps it was his Heart? Or his Soul? Crying in disparity? 'Depressing thoughts Harry.' He berated himself as Snape was currently roaming the rows and towering over people's cauldrons menacingly, Harry scribbled drawings onto a piece of paper he wasn't fully aware he was even doing and wrote what he needed to say to his fellow classmates. 

My fellow classmates, 

I, Harry James Potter do deeply and sincerly apologise for destroying your potions and lowering your grades, by having to make them over again today and the next. I will be sure to pay my fullest attention in class from here on out and I will work hard not to blow another cauldron and its contents. 

I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour, I'll be punished, severly. I'm sure of it. To Hermione and Draco Malfoy, I do apologise most profusely as you both had been about to bottle your perfect potions when mine exploded. Your grades were lowered because of me, I am so terribly sorry. 

Please forgive me. 

Harry James Potter. 

 

Without realising he'd even do so, between some grotesque doodlings, the words had formed themselves...the most disturbing thing, was...they were both in blood. His blood. At some point Harry had dug his nails deeply into the flesh of his palms, wether on purpose or not, he didn't know, but the blood had run into his quill, like red ink. 

Snape suddenly stood above him, sneer gone and frown in its place, confused at the red. 

"Potter, finished?" 

Harry jumped slightly, not having realised the man stood before him, he nodded once and stood, swaying on the spot, both pages in his cut hands, blood smearing across them. He swallowed and waited for the attention, then began to read as if in a daze. 

"I, Harry James Potter do formally apologise to England's 1# ranked Potions Master, Professor. Severus Snape.   
I feel horrible for ruining hard to aquire ingredients paid by Professor Snape's own hard earned money trying to teach us Dunderheads and if he choices, I will pay for and buy every ingredient I have destroyed, and anything I had previously taken from his stores. 

I would also like to aplogise for destorying an expensive cauldron I had bought with my dead parents hard earned money, handed down to me to use wisely, which henceforth, I will not take for granted. 

If Professor Snape still has the urge to punish me for this, he can punish as he sees fit.

Harry James Potter." 

He swallowed and kept his head lowered, unable to fathom what Professor Snape's reaction would be to this apology, everyone else was quiet and several had gobsmacked expressions, bodies frozen with wide eyes and hands partway in the air with dropped tools.   
Severus blinked several times, not expecting the brat to make a formal apology and in front of classmates that would gladly take it to the press. He cleared his throat and did it again when nothing came out. 

"Very well, make your other apology and we'll discuss the payments. The punishment is a given, so no need to discuss it is there? You won't object?" Harry shook his head slowly, eyes still downcast to concrete. "Good. Carry on." He swept his hand to the students. 

Harry heaved a breath, feeling his forehead begin to bead with sweat and his eyesight blur. 

"My fellow classmates, 

I, Harry James Potter do deeply and sincerly apologise for destroying your potions and lowering your grades, by having to make them over again today and the next. I will be sure to pay my fullest attention in class from here on out and I will work hard not to blow another cauldron and its contents. 

I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour, I'll be punished. Severly. I'm sure of it. To Hermione and Draco Malfoy I do apologise most profusely as you had been about to bottle your perfect potions when mine exploded, your grades were lowered because of me. I am so terribly sorry. 

Please forgive me. 

Harry James Potter." 

Harry clenched his hands around the parchment as everything remained silent, then Snape spoke and it was like time restarted itself. "Well?" Snape pressed. 

"Of course I forgive you Harry, I know you hadn't meant too." 

Malfoy seemed to have a shake himself before answering, he was incredibly confused, why would Potter apologise to him? They were enemies. It didn't make sense...though looking closely, Potter didn't look to well. "Whatever Potter, I don't forgive you, but whatever." Draco actually shrugged, as if he cared. Harry's lowered head smiled tightly, everyone else nodded, uncaring that they had to remake the potion, as they knew they wouldn't of gotten it right in the first place and they had a second chance to make this one work, so they waved it away. Quite literally, half the class waved their hands in the air dismissively. 

There was a huff beside him, "Well to the conjured desk Mister Potter, we have payments and ingredients to discuss." 

Harry nodded, unconsciously crumpling the red-soaked paper in his hands further as he dragged his feet and plonked heavily, cringing as just as he sat the paper sliced across his already cut palms. The blood, seeping out from the wounds more frequently; he did his best and tried to hide it. Severus narrowed his eyes and watched the boy, there was something decidedly off about the way the boy held himself, ever since a few months ago; if he recalled correctly. 

Had it to do with Black's death? 

No...There was something more than mourning surrounding the wounded teenager, he continued to analyse the boy while he gave the payments estimates and the ingredients list and locations, though the more rare ones he'd get himself, so he left those off. Potter seemed to nod soundlessly through all of it, his hands either side of his chair, clenching and unclenching several times and the corner of his eye twitched as if he were in silent agony. "Potter?" 

He looked up slowly, the green of his eyes looking duller and less mischievous than normal, hands still part way in the process of putting the bloodstained parchments into his knapsack and waited for his Professor to say something more. "You have a spare period in your schedule now, do you not?" 

"I do." Harry nodded, eyebrows furrowed in a frown. Personally he didn't want to talk to his Potions Professor longer than he had too, he wanted to sit up in the corner of the Astronomy Tower for a while but if Snape wanted something more, he couldn't very well refuse could he? 

Standing, Severus rounded the desk and knocked here and there with his wand on the side door, close to the potions storeroom; though it made a good likeness to a blank stone wall, it opened as Harry came closer. Snape, patient as ever, pushed Harry to step in before him, closing the door behind himself firmly. Harry looked around, it was a nicely decorated office, dark green and dark greys, Slytherin's colours of course; he was the Head of House, it only made sense. Oddly, the place didn't contain jars full of potions ingredients, alive or dead. 

A large mahogany desk sat near the far left wall, though the room wasn't overly large so it was pretty close, a nice mahogany chair, upholstered with dark green leather accompanied it, and two smaller chairs of the same make sat in front of it. Obviously for students. 

Harry had always wondered if Snape had had his own office. Apparently he did indeed have one and it was quite nice, though a little cluttered with books and parchments; the desk itself if, Harry couldn't see the back of the desk or front rather to himself, he wouldn't of known it was mahogony, as the entire top was covered in parchments and graded/ungraded essays, an inkwell no doubt thankfully capped had been tipped over at one point as well. A dark green almost black coffee cup even balanced precariously on the edge. 

Harry blinked when the man spoke sarcastically, "Quite finished staring?" Harry nodded dumbly. 

"As you are currently free, it's a perfect time to start your punishment wouldn't you agree?" He smirked and disregarded the doubtful look and concern that crossed the teenagers face. "After, you can answer some questions for me." Harry nodded slowly, swallowing thickly; concerned. Quite concerned. 

"Lean over the desk." He jerked his head for indication. Frowning, Harry leaned over the desk, assuming he was doing it right; facing away from the Professor, his hands flat on top? This was punishment? It was really odd...Silently his legs were kicked apart and a hand came into his vision, snatching the ruler that Harry hadn't even noticed was laying atop the parchments; Harry was even more confused. 

SMACK. 

Harry got it. 

SMACK.

Very clearly and very painfully got it. 

SMACK. 

SMACK.

SMACK.

SMACK.

Harry whimpered and gripped the edge of the table top, not caring if he ended up covering the lovely wood in blood as they still were bleeding and still very much in pain, though he only vaguely recalled why they were so in the first place...odd. 

SMACK. 

SMACK.

Pause.....

SMACK.

SMACK.

On bare ass. 

Harry couldn't help the scream that came forth this time, it just flowed out. Loud and surely agonising not just to his own ears but someone had to have heard it besides Snape? 

"Easy Potter. Almost over, so quit your snivelling, I have another class shortly." Harry hadn't even been aware he was snivelling till the man pointed it out, unfortunately with the knowledge, he couldn't stop the hiccuping sobs that came and the tears that threatened to fall, he was momentarily surprised to realise one tear had escaped his long lashes only to fall into his lips and disappear on another scream. 

Another pause and the ruler was back, seeming as if made of harder material, magicked? Just then? It fell with precise precision for him, Harry wouldn't be able to sit for the next couple hours. FUCK! He let out a whimper when one final SMACK landed harshly and very closely to his quivering pucker.

Harry could of sworn he heard a muffled snorting noise behind him for a second before, "There. You will report to my office every night for a week before dinner to receive your punishments, understood?" 

When no answer seemed forthcoming an extra SMACK was earned straight on his quivering hole, he gasped and jumped, his head bobbing empathically. "Yes! Yes Sir!" He was shocked, his voice almost sounded like a shout. Snape's brow rose above his hairline at the shout and moved to smack again, only Harry quickly moved out of his reach, hands scrambling to pull his pants up around his bruised butt and shaking legs. 

"I'm sorry." And he truly meant it. 

A nod and he put the ruler in the middle drawer of his desk. "To the questions." He pointed down into the chair in front of him, "Sit." Harry cringed, biting the inside of his mouth as he looked sceptically down at the leathered chair. A more aggressive, "Sit." was thrown his way so he quickly sat, unable to help the yelp it brought with it. Snape smirked, obviously taking pleasure in Harry's displeasure and reparo'd the broken coffee cup, placing it back on the wooden table, in the corner rather than the edge; obviously having smashed as Harry was rocked forwards into the desk. 

"Hello? Professor?" "Is he not here?" Harry whipped his head around towards the stone-like door and went to stand but Snape's heated glare and a hand reaching downwards to the draw, halted Harry's movements and he sat back down. "It can wait. Answer me." Harry frowned, the man hadn't asked anything yet... 

"Your hands--did you do that?" 

Harry looked at where the Professor was pointing and looked down at his scraped, cut and still bleeding hands and then back to the desk top; seemed when he'd pushed the desk with his forward movements, he'd not only smashed the cup but he'd scraped his hands across the wood surface and made it worse. It was completely covered in blood. Harry cringed further, hoping another smack wasn't coming so soon. "Potter." 

"Yes Sir?" A sigh. 

"Just now?" It would be so easy to lie and say it was Snape's fault but then...ruler. 

"No, I accidently dug my nails into my hands before..." True, as far as he remembered. 

Snape frowned, "Accidently? Nobody digs their nails so deep into their palms to draw blood, unless they were meaning to Potter. You expect me to believe you did it by accident?" Harry shrugged and opened his mouth but before he could respond, "Give me the parchments, both of them." Harry frowned, but grabbed them from his bag, discarded beside the chair he was currently sitting in and handed them over, one looked particularly gruesome. 

Snape's face scrunched up when his hand came into contact with the red soaked one, still partially dripped the red stuff. "Ink?" He eyed Harry dubiously. Harry bit the inside of his mouth again and stared at the parchment, had he done that? 

Frowning at him, Snape placed the parchments down on the desk, beside each other, the red soaked one straight down in front of him and flattened it. His hands were already bloodied now, why stop? He could just disinfect them thoroughly afterwards. And he would. It was definitely blood, he was sure of that. But what...were these? 

"Potter, what are these..." He pointed down as if Harry could actually see it. He looked up when Harry made no move to say anything let alone move. "Oh for goodness sake, come here you idiot child." Hurriedly Harry came to stand beside him, trying hard not shiver as he saw the open draw that contained the ruler, just laying innocently inside at his knee. 

"Again, what are these?" A frustrated sigh was blown out through thin lips. Harry just looked down and frowned, confused himself, it was a good question. 

"I um...I don't know?" 

His patience was obviously barely hanging by a thread, "You don't...know." The words were ground out between his teeth. Harry shook his head, he could barely remember even having read these apologies in the first place, the second one even more so. It was as if the memory was almost non existent; had he seriously apologised to Malfoy? "Perhaps a trip to the infirmary..." Muttered though it was, apparently the boy had quite good hearing even if he was still standing beside him. 

"No." Severus looked up. "I'm fine." Even as he said so, it was blatantly obvious it was a lie. He didn't like the infirmary either though, so he couldn't blame the brat. But it was the best place in the school to be mended and looked after properly. Besides a trip to St. Mungo's...the boy obviously needed a healer. 

"Remain here, lay down." A quick flick of his wrist and a leather couch appeared in the corner, in a space unoccupied currently by overflowing bookcases, he disappeared out the door seconds later, to his waiting students (if they were smart enough). 

Slowly Harry edged his way over to the couch, hauling himself into its inviting comfort. As the man had said too, Harry could feel himself become weaker, wanted nothing more than to fall over unconscious, where he'd stood. Distantly; he could hear the sounds of Snape talking to his students, then a creak as the door opened and a muttered, "Damn brat, I'm sure you'll be fine for an hour. Stay here." Then the door shut and one of his lectures on potions began, for the next hour. 

Fifth Years than probably, in the next room. Harry smiled slowly, hand covering his eyes as they began to ache from some magical light source from somewhere seeping into the room. He had always wondered how Slytherin's woke up every morning down here in the dungeons; did they have spells to reveal the sunlight? Or just a magical alarm clock on the side tables? He'd always been curious but he'd never been able to ask, as Slytherin's weren't nice and obviously wouldn't talk to Harry Potter, the boy apparently destined to destory Voldemort once and for all. 

Harry growled, stupid prophecy! Why did he have to be the one to defeat the evil snake? He was still a kid in all rights, he'd barely even done half the things he wanted to do and he still had so much to learn about the magical world; he didn't even know how he was going to defeat him. An evil man feared by all, and an almost 16 year old? Those weren't very good odds, even if he thought that himself and no one else did...It wasn't fair to top it all off, he was ill...

//\\\//\\\

Snape had come back an hour later, assessed Harry's form laying on his conjured couch and had told him to stop being stupid and to see Madam Pomfrey. Harry had nodded even as he picked up his knapsack and headed out the door on shaking legs, no intention whatsoever in going to the Hospital Wing. 

He skived off the rest of that days classes to sit in the corner of the Astronomy Tower, his head on his knees and green watery eyes staring sightlessly at his torn up hands. Healed rather well with a few little scars by Snape as he left the classroom. He even skived off dinner as it quickly approached, the storm brewing menacingly outside, raining down on those still yet to run their fastest into the castle for dinner. He chuckled a little as they scampered, a few being caught and soaked as the rain pelted down heavily now; vaguely he was sure one of those had been Draco Malfoy, as the person had shrieked, stomped their foot on the muddy ground and ran like his life depended on it, with his knapsack shielding white, quickly darkening hair. 

It had to of been Malfoy. So...wait, no. Malfoy didn't take care of magical creatures anymore, not since third year, but then, why would he be outside? And by himself too...Harry frowned to himself, trying to figure out what the reason could possibly be, if he remembered right, Malfoy's last class on Monday's was Arithmancy now...so he should of been there, so what reasons would Malfoy have to skive off on his own afternoon class? And be close to the Forbidden Forest too? 

//\\\//\\\

Unable to figure it out, Harry'd shrugged and stood, winding his way back down the Astronomy stairs and back to Gryffindor Tower, where he fell heavily back on his bed, still dressed in his school uniform and fell fitfully asleep. 

It was dark, the atmosphere thick with a sense of dread, rain pelted down on the muddy ground, beat against the thick glass of the large closed window. The occupants inside were huddled in front of the fire, a beautiful orange haired women held an infant barely any older than a year, he snuggled against her bosom as she gently rocked him to sleep, the baby's father, a handsome messy brown haired man with wire-rimmed glasses sat close by, his hand nestled hers on the infants soft tussle of hair so like his own and smiled. 

It was then Harry recognised himself, there nestled in against his mothers breast, he whimpered and jumped as a particuarly large thundering roar echoed throughout the house, shaking its very base and rattling the windows till he thought they might shatter. As if in slow motion, the door was burst open on its hinges and his father James knocked backwards as he stood, wand pointed at the cloaked figures entering their humble little home; he levered himself back up, quickly stepping in front of his wife and son, ready to protect them with his very life; he whispered for Lily to run, run upstairs and hide, he'd hold them off down here as long as he could, he kissed her then, a hand on his sons head and muttered his goodbyes. 

Harry saw the tears run down his mothers cheeks, her smile sad as she too said her goodbyes to her beloved, knowing they might not survive this attack on their home and hurried to the stairs, knowing their would be little time to find a suitable safe hiding spot. Running into Harry's nursery she closed the door quietly and locked it, placing Harry in his cot, she kneeled, her eyes sad and tears running down her cheeks like baby Harry's. Harry knew he was crying too, knowing this was how is parents had died, how he had become an orphan. 

He swallowed thickly and silently stood to the left, close to the closed door and held his breath as his mother spoke her goodbyes. "Mama loves you Harry, Dada loves you. Be safe." She leaned down and kissed her precious son on the head, her hands shaking as she reached partway down...the door flew open, again angled off its hinges and the cloaked figure entered the room, a sneer undoubtably on his pale uneven scaly face as he spoke. 

"Silly girl, stand aside and I will let you live. Or you will join your husband in death." His hissed the last and pointed his wand at her heart, the words tingling on his lips. 

Harry watched as his mother Lily bravely bared his path., "No. Please, not Harry. Not my Harry." 

Again in slow motion, and through Harry's blurry vision, aiming his wand down at baby Harry and sneering in triumph he shouted the deadly killing curse again, but it was with a blinding red light and a flash, Voldemort crumpled and vanished. Baby Harry still in tears and holding a stuffed golden stitch, now sported a brilliant red blazing mark, shaped like a lightening bolt on his forehead. 

Harry lowered himself to look between the cots bars at his own baby form, disconcerted and a little awed, he reached out and touched his own chubby cheek, his hand though only just touched the soft skin, his hand similar to that of a ghosts as it were. He tried to avoid looking behind him at the sight of his mother, open blank green eyes seeing into nothingness and body at an odd angle on the floor. 

He swallowed again as more tears slipped down his face, both faces. 

'I wonder where all this stuff went?' It was an odd thought, standing in the middle of a murder scene but it was curious. He'd never possessed any of this stuff at the Dursley's...Standing up, Harry was loath to leave his younger form there, just sobbing in the cot clutching the toy, but it was a dream or rather a bad memory in the form of a dream, so his baby self was safe where he was. He slowly stepped out of his nursery , taking in all the personal things his family once possessed and wondering where everything had gone? Had it been burnt? Thrown away? What? ....He moved down the stairs, avoiding the living room as he saw his fathers body cumpled on the floor in front of the armchair. 

It was not much later when another dark figure entered the house, he spun, drawing his own wand, though he knew he wouldn't be able to use it; ghostly as he was right then. But he needn't of drawn his wand, for it seemed to be someone he knew, someone he felt was good. He followed the cloaked figure up the stairs, noting he seemed to know where he was going and ignored completely the man lying on the living room floor, with nothing more than a quick glance and a mutter of apologies; the man seemed to be headed straight for where little Harry and Lily were. 

Quickly catching up, Harry stood gaping at the scene he saw. 

The mans cloak hood had fallen, his black hair fell loosely into his face and around his neck in waves, he was kneeling down, shaking hands scrambling to lift Lily and began to cry as he rocked them both. Baby Harry seemed to cry more as he watched the scene too, distressed even more perhaps as the scar was hurting him and the fact his mother was gone, sunk in. 

Harry wasn't sure, but the man was so familiar, and yet not, as the man was no more than 21 and he was crying harshly, the fact itself seemed disturbing to Harry. Like the very idea of this man crying was inconceivable...

It was strange. 

No sooner had Harry thought this, the dream seemed to swirl and distort around him. 

Harry jerked awake, more uneasy then he'd ever been after a nightmare or dream. It seemed far more real then he ever dreamt before...as if...it really had been a memory. Harry pushed himself up against his pillows, body still trembling and face feeling wet; he lifted a hand at this to his cheek, had he actually been crying? 

Sitting there, Harry contemplated what he had witnessed, it seemed concievable he'd just witnessed one of his own memories, but why? And who had that black haired man crying over his Mother been? And why did he seem familiar? He frowned to himself, a hand pulling at his locks, indicating his distress. 

"Harry? Mate? You awake?" Ron came into view from the other side of the room, apparently having just been in the shower; his hair was wet and he'd not put on a shirt yet. "Yeah, what time is it?" Ron snickered, "You slept pretty late, I'd say. It's 7 o'clock mate." 

"At night??" Harry frowned when Ron shook his head, "Nah, mornin'." They bugged out then, what?! He'd slept an entire night in that memory?? Holy crap. 

"Best hurry, we have potions again this morning and you know what Hermione's like." They both cringed. 

"Yeah, yeah I do. I'll be right there..." With a nod, Ron was out the door, uniform on properly and hair as neat as he could get it and a smile in place for his girlfriend. (Harry still found it a little strange at times, but long overdue). 

//\\\//\\\

The realisation didn't occur to Harry until he was four steps away from the Potions classroom, he'd completely forgotten to go for his punishment before dinner that night, since he was sure Snape would of included that same night. Well shit, now what was he going to do? He'd be in even more trouble then before, right? ...maybe he could write it off?? 

He coughed a couple of times and leaned heavily on the wall for a minute, in plan view of the potions classroom but he hadn't done it intentionally, he'd really done so. Though inwardly he felt a little better, in the very very vague sense of the word, but he knew he looked even worse. Whatever this thing was, it was progressively getting worse as each day passed by. He'd slept with only the barest minimum of horribleness compared with decaying dead bodies of former classmates, friends and family; he was quite proud of the achievement. 

Straightening himself up and taking a deep breath, Harry steadily walked into the potions classroom, dreading what his Professor would do to him. 

"Mister Potter, so glad you could deign the class with your presence." His scowl grew darker as he looked down on Harry. Harry only swallowed and remained silent, feeling the sweat bead on his forehead, not from the illness but from the nervousness. "I believe you forgot something last night, care to tell me what that was?" 

Harry bit his lip, trying to disregard the crowd of students sitting and waiting for him to speak and come up with a bad excuse. "I...I didn't show up for my punishment...Sir." 

"No, no you did not. Hence why you will be heading to my office and taking that punishment now. As well as you'll still be coming here before dinner. Do I make myself clear Mister Potter?" Harry nodded hurriedly and quickly walked to the opened stone wall like door; a look and he was shuffling inside and standing in front of the desk, throwing his bag down next to the chair he had vacated the previous afternoon. One look to the class and a couple of words and he was following Harry into the small office; a flick of his wrist and the door closed with a grating noise on the dungeon floor. 

"What are you waiting for Potter, into position!" He rounded the desk, leaning down to take out the hard ruler as Harry jumped and hesitatly obeyed, hands coming to rest flat on the once more clean of blood desk. "A bit harder today for missing a punishment. Bend." Harry bended. 

It was seconds before his pants were once more discarded onto the nearest student chair, and the ruler was coming hard down onto his bare still red ass. Honestly with the resounding smack, Harry was certain his classmates on the other side of the door, could hear it...a delayed, "Oh my god! What was that?!" Even reached their ears, Harry plonked his head between his hands heavily as his face began to heat with shame and embarrassment. He was even sure he heard a distinct snort from behind him as the smacks rained down mercilessly. 

Snape was a cruel, cruel man. 

Smack.

Smack.

Smack.

SMACK. 

Harry whimpered on this last one, as he got once again awfully close to his pucker. The thought alone that Snape could actually see everything back there, made his face burn even hotter. Seriously, why did Snape appear to take great pleasure in spanking him? And why did he occasionally angle down, as if on purpose trying to hit it?   
With the way things were going, and what with more punishments impending, he wouldn't be able to masturbate for quite some time. 

...Oh yeah, he was gay, so occasionally he would finger himself, closet gay so he didn't have much interest in finding a boyfriend; the press, the reactions and not wanting the one he loved to end up dying right in front of him, was, he knew, a very large contributing factor, there was a 50/50 % chance of it really occuring too. He sighed, letting the tears fall against the wooden surface, the hiccuping sobs sounded throughout the room and the yells resounded toward his classmates. 

Again Snape was a cruel, cruel man. He continued undaunted by the display in front of him, unconcerned with the chatting curiosity inside the potions classroom. 

SMACK. 

SMACK.

SMACK.

SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. SMACK. 

They came down harder on Harry's backside, his body quivering with each harsh smack, his pucker pulsing in and out with every smack that came closer to it, his screams got louder and the tears were nonstop. They came quicker and in succession. 

A knock was heard on the stone-like door. "Sir, Harry?? Harry are you okay? What's going on in there? Why are you screaming?" Obviously it was Hermione. 

"Go back to your work Miss. Granger, everything is fine, he is just receiving the last of his punishment until dinner time." You could hear the sneer in his voice as he spoke, the ruler never once stopping in its downward strokes. 

//\\\//\\\

With one final, very harsh SMACK Harry stumbled forwards, his upper body leaning heavily against the mahogony desk of his Potions Professor. 

"Easy Potter, clean yourself up and gather your potions ingredients. You have a potion that needs remaking." He gave another smack to Harry's ass, but this one seemed oddly calming and less harsh as it was hand and not ruler, which Snape was now currently putting back into his desk drawer. Slowly, Harry righted himself and exited the small office, his face still flaming red and eyes slightly puffy, his hands too had little scratch marks on them, but not nearly as harsh a wound as the day before, thankfully. 

He tried to ignore the whispers and pointing aimed his way as he sat in the back, farthest away from Hermione's concerned expression, her worried words and tearful eyes were the last thing he wished to sit through; Especially as he already knew some of what she was going to say, or rather ask. He also tried to ignore the unreadable expression flitting across Draco Malfoy's face, the one he had unconsciously just stood next too; Malfoy was the only one this year that ever stood in the far back in potions classes. (Strange that, if he thought about it).

Malfoy's gaze was still on him, partially as he stirred the required number of times and added a dried nettle or two. It was a little unnerving if Harry was honest, it was distracting him from what he was supposed to put in next. No, seriously, what was he supposed to put in next?! 

He bit his lip, hand clenching around the glass rod in his fingers and began to mutter to himself as suddenly a hand came into his vision with the shrivelled salamander legs. Harry turned his head slowly, eyes narrowed and a suspicious look in his eyes, why would Malfoy help him? 

'He has nice hands...' Harry's eyes bugged and he spun back quickly to his potion, 'What the hell? Where'd that come from?!' 

Draco's own expression was quite different, it was an odd reaction to his help, especially considering he'd helped Potter, though why he'd even done so baffled him; the boy just looked so sickly, he'd obviously been through something in Snape's office and he hadn't a clue what he'd needed to add, so...it was pity? He'd helped out of pity? Pity for Potter ?! 

He shook himself, going back to stirring the required number of times after adding the powdered dragon claws. Still, he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something more was going on with Potter, something serious the boy didn't even realise himself. He blinked a couple of times as the fumes reached up into his face and irritated his right eye, he scratched the underside carefully; he didn't want to accidently scratch his actual eye again, that'd been horrible the first couple of times when he was younger; though then he'd intentionally done so. 

As the years had passed he'd become accustomed to...well, to it. 

Harry could still feel he was being watched, though it was less obvious now; it was still highly disturbing especially as it was Malfoy. He jumped five minutes later as Malfoy once more plopped an ingredient into his cauldron and indicated he should stir five times clockwise and another five anticlockwise. Seriously , why was Malfoy helping him? 

A sudden flash of blue in his pepherial vision had Harry looking directly at him with narrowed eyes and a look of confusion crossing his face. What had that been? 

Malfoy quickly seemed to look down into his cauldron as Harry spun to face him, as if trying to ignore something. "Malfoy?" He was ignored, "Malfoy." Harry stressed the name, the other boy seemed to clench his hand under the table and slowly turn to him, his head lowered, teeth clenched. 

'Now of all times?!' "What Potter?" 

"Look at me." 

Malfoy shook his head, "I'd rather not, I might catch your lack of fashion sense...or worse. Your sickness." 

Harry hissed between his teeth, "Don't be a prick, you were just helping me right? I thought I saw something..." There was a hesitant pause before, "Saw what?" 

"I don't know, that's why I'm trying to see; so...look up." Harry took a step towards the blonde, hand outstretched partially, ready to lift Malfoy's face himself. Draco took a few steps back for each one Harry made towards him, as his back hit the wall and he let out an oomph, the class seemed to turn as one to watch the scene play out. Curious to know what was going on between the rivals. 

Even Snape had turned to watch them, his lips contorted into a sneer and ready to deliver deductions of house points and detentions for both adolescents. 

"Malfoy cut it out, you're making a scene." 

Draco shook his head, becoming frantic now, his heartbeat thrummed in his chest harshly, a mile a minute, he worked so hard to keep his eye a secret, he wasn't about to let Potter ruin that, ruin his life even more. No, he couldn't allow it. He couldn't. "I'm not the one making the scene, I don't know what you saw, with your illness you probably just imagined it, drop it Potter, it's not me." He'd lowered his head towards his chest, his heartbeat even louder in his ears now as he felt Potter's fingers skim the bottom of his chin. 

No, no, he couldn't let this...

"Just open your eyes Malfoy, if I was imagining what I think I saw...then why are you acting like this and cornered against a wall?" 

Couldn't let this... 

"Make me." He cringed as the words slipped out, knowing they were a mistake. 

He knew even more, that he'd made a mistake when a muttered, "Fine", reached his sensitive ears and Potter's hand lifted his chin, fingers digging into his skin and pushed his lips to Draco's. It was an effective way to make him open his eyes, wide in shock; he hadn't known Potter would go that route, hadn't even thought it conceivable. But there it was, Potter had kissed him, kissed him to make his eyes open but kissed him none the less. 

But shit! 

Harry took a step back, licked his lips and widened his own eyes. "Since when do you have one blue eye and one silver eye?" 

Draco tried to play it off, "I don't." Inside, he was so close to tears, he didn't want his life to fall apart again, and he certaintly didn't want his father to find out he'd been revealed; he began to mutter very quietly, below his breath, if he did it quick enough, maybe Potter would believe him. 

"You do, I'm looking straight at them." 

'And...three...'

"You're imagining things." 

'Two...'

"I am not, it's plain as day Malfoy." 

'One.' 

"Well if you think so, take a closer look scar head." He got a scowl there and he smirked, pushing his face closer, all former franticness gone. Harry narrowed his eyes as he took another step closer and peered into the other youths face, well, he couldn't deny, both eyes certaintly were once again silver, but he knew what he saw. Malfoy had had one dull blue eye with a couple of scars from eyebrow to cheek, and one bright silver eye. 

"Fine. But I know what I saw Malfoy, you can't change my mind." Harry shook his head and turned, returning back to his workbench and potion, eyes returning to scan the books instructions. Draco continued to scowl at the brown haired other boy, there had to be a way to convince Potter he hadn't seen anything amiss. That he hadn't seen Draco's blue eye.

He sighed, disheartened. 'I need a much more powerful glamour, though it was enough before, why is it suddenly deteriorating every now and then, and why, does Potter always seem to be somewhere in the vicinity when it does?' He frowned down at his hands, still partially shaking from before. 

//\\\//\\\

It wasn't long before class had ended and they'd gone to lunch, the class having been double that morning. Harry had followed Malfoy out of the classroom, at least two people between them and closely watching him, knowing there was something he was obviously hiding. For some reason unknown to him, Harry was determined to find out what that was. 

When they got within a metre of the Great Hall, Malfoy stopped, allowing fellow Slytherins from Potions to proceed him into the Hall with a wave of his hand. He turned then, eyes narrowing as he spied Harry a metre from him and trying to hide behind his friends. "Potter, quit it. You've been following me the moment we got out of Potions." 

Harry bit the inside of his mouth and rounded Hermione, "Of course I have, it's lunch time. We were all following each other, we were in the same location, heading to the same location. Don't act like your special and think I'm following you. I want lunch." 

Draco huffed, "Yeah right, you haven't eaten anything since you returned from school break." Harry, Ron and Hermione's eyes widened at his words, they implied Malfoy had been watching Harry; not the other way around. 

"And how would you know that Malfoy? Spying on me?" 

Draco shook his head, annoyed he'd let that tidbit slip. "Of course not. Everyone knows, you can see it and our tables are only a metre away from each other, and you face my table." Harry tried to hide the smile that threatened to split his face and bubble forth laughter. Not watching him huh? The last bit all but said he watched him from the Slytherin's table and hadn't once seen him eating anything. 

"Concerned?" 

"Not in the least." He smirked and spun, striding quickly over to his house table and 'friends'. Harry watched him as he walked, back straight and head held high, all aristocratic like, though of course he was, so it made sense. 'He has a nice ass.' 

Harry shook himself just as Hermione placed her hand on his arm, she reared back a little, her eyes showing a small bit of hurt, Harry opened his mouth but she just indicated the Great Hall with a small smile, "Come Harry, you can at least sit with us." Hinting she'd known he was following Malfoy; he didn't come to the hall all that often for lunch, breakfast was just formality before classes and he barely went to dinner for most nights, though he supposed he'd have to re-attend more, so as not give Snape the satisfaction of seeing him suffer alone, or rather not see him...He'd try his best not to flinch as he sat down. 

He nodded silently, he might as well and it would help to alleviate the hurt he saw. He hadn't meant to shake her hand off his arm, it'd just occured that way as he shook himself from thinking strange things about Malfoy again. Gay he may be, but he did not like Malfoy. 

Together they made their way inside and sat, Harry just crossed his arms on the table to watch as his friends filled their plates with food and began to eat, conversations soon to follow. It wasn't till halfway through lunch, that Harry felt that peircing gaze on him again, the same one that had looked at him in potions, a gaze Harry couldn't decipher and it bothered him a little. Looking up, Harry narrowed his eyes straight at the silver eyed blonde, who continued to stare straight back. 

This led to a straight up staring contest between the two, it was lasting quite a while with Harry occasionally making faces to try and make the aristocrat blink; they didn't work and he continued to stare, his eyebrow even lifting to indicate his apparent amusement at such childishness. 

The bell rang some minutes later, indicating next classes, but Harry continued to stare, as did Malfoy; it wasn't till one of Malfoy's 'friends' tapped him on the shoulder and held out his bag to him that Malfoy poked his tongue with a smirking smile at Harry. Immediately Harry blinked, taken aback, did Malfoy just stick his tongue out at him?? Harry chuckled a little to himself and stood with Ron and Hermione, their next class DADA. 

This class too was with the Slytherin's, so they ended up following them up the stairs once more. Harry watched Malfoy's head, still in surprise at such a childish thing for Malfoy to copy, especially when that childish thing was directed at Harry himself. Such things were more done by friends that were close rather than known rivals since boyhood, since six years ago. Though looking back, it was a stupid thing to call a rivalry over, a rejection of friendship, though hurtful perhaps, he'd deserved it, he'd insulted Ron and had acted like a spoiled brat, Harry had hated that, because he'd reminded him of Dudley. 

Since then they'd just continued to fight, mostly over silly little things, inconsequential things, neither too adult enough to put it behind them in face of an approaching war, both to proud to do the right thing. Even if their fighting had toned down some over the years, each boy becoming a little bit more mature, they really were too proud to call it complete quits. Their rivalry now though seemed as if it were dying, apologising, helping during potions, concerned looks and hesitantly calm spoken words, kisses in potions to shock, staring contests in the Great Hall and making faces to try and distract the other into blinking, they were not things rivals did. That was for sure. 

They ended up sitting behind each other in DADA, Harry having followed where Malfoy had sat and took the empty one behind him, the reactions of his friends had been bewildered if anything, usually they sat in the middle not the back and there was only one more seat next to Harry. With where he'd taken up residence, Ron shook his head and angled Hermione to sit beside him, not wanting to sit right behind Malfoy; Hermione'd shrugged and smiled as she sat down beside her best friend, unconcerned where he'd sat, though she was curious why. 

"Harry, do you want to tell me something?" 

Harry looked at her, surprised. "No?" 

She raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "I've seen the way you've been staring at Malfoy today, well, not just today but for the last couple of months and it's only just now got more obvious. And, you kissed him in potions class today." Harry's eyes bulged, "I only did that to shock him into opening his eyes...!" 

"Harry." 

"No, seriously. I couldn't think of any other way, and he refused to open them so...I shocked him." 

"And the rest of the class; your Fan Club would be going hysterical." Harry scrunched up his nose at the mention of his fan club, started by Colin Creevy a few years back, it bothered him quite abit but at least they left him more or less alone most of the time and had the decency to ask permission for photos and interviews now. "I don't care...it wasn't intentional. I'm not gay Hermione." It was admittedly more vehement then he'd intended. 

Both her eyebrows rose this time and the blonde in front of them, unseen to their eyes widened his own eyes as he heard the proclamation. "I never mentioned you were...but is that something you'd like to share?" Harry shook his head and swallowed, cheeks tinged a light pink shade, "Not really, no..." 

"Well, I don't mean here in the classroom. I mean somewhere private. I'm your friend Harry, I'm not going to judge you based on who you like no matter what gender they are. It isn't the same here in the Wizarding World as the Muggle World, you don't need to hide it...don't feel like you need too." 

Harry bit his lip at her words, he really wasn't ready for people to know, he'd only found out the previous year...he was still getting used to it himself, he hadn't told anybody for the fear of rejection, wether or not it wasn't the same here didn't mean people weren't going to judge and be harsh about it, he was the Wizarding World's hope and chosen one. He hadn't had much say over his life so far, he doubted it was going to change anytime soon. But...She was his friend and she was kind, maybe just her? 

"Ok, Hermione...after class, in the room of requirment, just you." She nodded with a small smile then jumped, "Oh, wait...I have another class after this, but I can come after that?" Harry nodded, "Sure, that's okay." 

"Don't you have another class anyway Harry?" She scribbled notes as the teacher spoke, her hand a blur on the page as she herself mumbled to Harry. 

"Not till tonight after dinner, I changed to Astronomy remember?" 

"Oh that's right, is it fun?" 

"It's alright, I like to see all the stars and pick which ones are most known to me and are used for friends names and such." He smiled and ran a hand through his hair as he took his own notes down. 

"I'm glad you like the class, and I'm glad your smiling a little more." Harry nodded, knowing she was close to mentioning he should try to eat though. "I'm trying..." 

She nodded, knowing pushing him wasn't something he appreciated. 

Draco continued to listen closely to their conversation while having one ear on what the Professor was saying, it was an intriguing notion, and made a bit of sense. Anyone completely straight wouldn't of had the guts or the mindset to kiss him during potions 'just' to shock him into opening his eyes. There would of been a dozen different ways to go about doing it, but Potter had chosen that one...definitely made a bit more sense. 

Draco shook his head to himself, 'I wonder if the room of requirement allows others to overhear conversations...or allows others uninvited inside? I really want to hear this conversation...' 

//\\\//\\\

After DADA was over, Draco ran for it up to the seventh floor where a tapestry concealed the 'room of requirement', he'd been there once before but he didn't know if it were possible to be inside and allow others inside who wanted the room to themselves; no harm in trying was there? He began to walk in front of the bare expanse of stone wall, three times thinking, 'I need a place that Potter would take Granger for a private conversation'. (x3) "Please work." He muttered. 

No more than a few seconds later the wall revealed a large Oaken door, stepping inside, Draco bit the inside of his cheek, the decor definitely seemed like something Potter would find 'inviting' and 'comfortable', it was decidely not something Draco particuarly liked, but it wasn't overly bad. (The room was mostly in golds and silvers, with only a tinge of the Gryffindor red seen throughout). Odd that. 

Stepping more into the room, the door closed with a resounding click and something dinged; the dinging apparently had come from a small wireless box that sat on the one coffee table in the middle of the room. Why there was so much furniture was curious but Draco shrugged, walking over and taking a seat, he picked up the little box. Not overly large and grey in color, Draco wasn't sure what it was; it seemed almost...Muggle-like? 

Another ding came from it as Draco continued to hold it; it made him jump as it vibrated across his palms. Voices outside caught his attention... 

Then... 

"No, I don't understand...I don't get why it isn't working, I've walked three times in front of the door like usual, no body comes up here anymore...Well, maybe it's best, maybe I don't need to talk--" Draco closed his eyes quickly and willed the room to allow Potter and Granger inside, and to give him something to hide within. No use in being visible was there? 

. . . . . 

Within seconds he was given the knowledge that the room did indeed allow such things as eavesdropping, because slowly the room began to shift, in the tiniest bit mind, and a shimmering cloth appeared at his elbow; a click sounded and the door began to open as Draco hurried to cover himself and stand to the side, in the hopes neither student would walk straight into him as they made their way slowly into the middle. Draco's eyes were wide as he watched Potter step inside and look around, the teens body clearly spoke how nervous he was, a small bit of persperation could be seen on his brow as he pushed his fringe to the side to wipe it away with a nervously shaking hand. 

Draco hoped he was well hidden beneath this thing, it seemed oddly similar to the one he'd seen Potter use before, since it had to be an invisiblity cloak he now wore, rare as they may be, he could understand that the room might have one, what with it being thousands of years old, probably, and no one understood where it got its possessions from; after all, you just ask and the room grants silently, or as silently as it could. 

He tiptoed closer and followed Potter to the grey couch covered in silver cushions; curious. 

Potter spoke with a tremor in his voice to the room, "Seems alright...some juice might be a nice touch though...or something decidedly stronger?" The last half strained, as if unsure it would allow a minor something stronger. In a nanosecond some juice, accompanied by a suspicious bottle was placed on the table, two glasses and a small plate of sandwiches with an almost silent ''Pop'' accompanied that. He frowned slightly as he noticed the sandwiches but seemed to shrug helplessly, knowing they weren't going anywhere anytime soon; Granger more than likely had silently asked the room herself for the food, a silent push for Potter to eat something. Draco almost wanted to shove the ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches down Potter's throat, but he held himself in check; it was hard though, the scarheaded fool was looking worse than he had that morning in potions...or DADA. 

Draco was sure if he slowly edged himself closer and sat right beside him on the couch, he'd be able to hear the weezing breaths coming from Potter's chest. He had no doubts the other boy was indeed having trouble breathing and the fact that he was actually almost hypervantilating from nervousness probably wasn't helping that situation any either. 

"Harry we don't have all night, there's only maybe 20 minutes till dinner and you still need to go to Snape, don't you?" Draco almost snickered at the mix of emotions flitting across Potter's face as Granger said this, the boys agonised groan too wasn't helping him keep the laughter in; he tried to distract himself, he jerked his eyes away roughly from Potter's pale face and tried to find something else to concentrate on. 'Ah!' The muggle-like contraption, well probably not like, it probably was. 

It was still dinging. 

"Do you think maybe you should start with that little outburst in DADA?" Draco shook his head as he turned his head to her. 'Oh, yeah. Subtle Granger...'

Because Potter was going to want to start with that... 

"I suppose I could..." Swallow. 

Gulp

Gulp

Gulp

Draco turned with a furrow in his brow, oooooh, Potter was taking large gulps of whatever was in the bottle; more than likely something contraband and illegal. Though if it were, Granger was certaintly turning a blind eye, even under these situations, Draco always thought she'd be prim and proper; even if she had friends like Potter and Weasley who constantly got into trouble and did things that could undoubtably get them expelled, more than 100 times over each year. He shrugged, maybe it wasn't alcholic? 

He slowly took a couple steps to round the coffee table and angle his head at the label on the tilted up bottle firmly still attached to Potter's red lips. Wait....red? He blinked, why were Potter's lips red? weren't they usually a soft pink color? He blinked again and shook himself, hoping he didn't dislodge the cloak in his haste to shake the thought of Potter's lips and their color out of his thought processes. Where had that come from?! 

DingDingDingDingDing.

Draco's left eye twitched. 

Potter jumped, the bottle slipping slightly in his grasp and a dribble of red liquid slipping down his chin. It made Draco swallow thickly, lean forward slightly and lick his suddenly dry lips. 

DingDingDingDingDing. 

Then his eye twitched again, 'what was that?!' 

"Harry why did you need an alarm clock in here?" Granger groaned and leaned over the coffee table, snatching the gray box Draco had forgotten all about until now. She clicked her tongue, found the switch and flicked it off, then sighed after putting it back on the table. So it was a mugglestyle alarm clock... interesting, annoying, but interesting. 

"I didn't need one..." Harry frowned as he wiped his chin with his sleeve, hiccuped and looked down at the gray box, silently ticking away the minutes till dinnertime. It was almost nearly 10 minutes gone for their private confession time and they still hadn't said anything yet on the topic. He was getting antsy. 

There was a huge sigh from next to him, he'd seated himself on the armrest closest to Potter; he could see the label clearer now as his fingers weren't obscuring the lettering. They bugged out as he read, HOLY SHIT! It was alcoholic! It was wine, red wine, granted, but it was still alcholic and he was still only 15. 'Come on Granger, say something about this?! This is going to make him an alcholic, it'll tip him over the edge, he's already depressed, the hell is wrong with you Granger, notice it! Take it! Confiscate it! Smash it into the fireplace! Fuck do something!' Draco silently fumed, his face turning red beneath the cloak as he watched Granger silently watch Harry, Harry silently watch her over the rim of the bottle and Draco watched Harry himself. This was insane, Draco had the occasional sip out of his Mother's wine glass when his Father wasn't home, mind now obviously his Father was never home, because he was in Azkaban, but the point was that he barely even touched the stuff himself and he was an aristocrat. 

Potter was teetering on the edge, what that edge was Draco didn't know, but he knew there was an edge and Potter was teering dangerously close to it already. 

Giving him something alcoholic like the wine he was currently drinking (a good brand of wine too, might he add) wasn't going to help him. Especially not with his health situation, or lack there of, recently. That was still something he needed to figure out... He was sure though, Potter didn't know himself and Granger probably didn't even remotely have a clue this time; curious yes, but the symptoms weren't exactly '' Symptoms '' per say. So basically nobody had any clue and Potter wasn't going to see Madam Pomfrey anytime soon, Draco was sure of that. 

"I uhm..." 

"Yes Harry?" 

"Please don't tell Ron??" 

She blinked. "Why not? I mean sure if that's what you want, I won't; but I can't say I'm not curious why I'm the only one sitting here...He's your friend too." 

Harry swallowed and nodded, "I know. I love him, I do...and I trust him, but...I don't know how he would take it." He sucked in a breath as he waited. 

"Okay, I see where you're coming from; but I think you should have more faith in him, he's not wolly stupid; he may have an idea, just doesn't know how to broach the subject, sort of like yourself Harry. I personally think he'd take you being gay perfectly fine, he'll probably avoid changing in the same room with you for a couple days but you know how he is, he'll be fine. I'm sure." She smiled and nodded along with her last words, picking a glass up from the coffee table and filling it halfway with pumpkin juice. Or atleast, Draco assumed it was pumpkin juice, it was a little paler but...He shrugged mentally, tuning back in. 

"Try to talk to him about it; though he might be a little mad that you tried to tell me first." She smiled in a worried fashion and took another sip as Harry finally found the glass on the coffee table and poured the remainder of the wine into said glass cup. 

"What do you mean tried?" 

She laughed a little. "Harry, you should know me well by now. I notice things, I look things up constantly, though it pains me to say it, I'm apparently Hogwarts know-it-all?" Harry seemed to cringe as Draco snickered behind his hand, well wouldn't you know it, Granger knows everyone calls her a know-it-all. 

"Well alright..." He took another swig of alchohol and seemed to sway a little to Draco, who narrowed his eyes; Potter couldn't be drunk from one bottle of wine alone could he?! That wasn't a very high tolerance, and that wine, though a good brand, didn't have a very large percentage of alchohol in it to begin with... 

Draco's eyes, of their own accord flicked to the muted alarm clock and widened ever so slightly. They now only had 5 more minutes to get everything out in the open and run like hell down to dinner, or Snape's office in Potter's case. And Dracomeant run like hell, if he was late to Snape's office, he was in for far more worse punishments; not that he totally understood what Potter's punishments were in the first place, but he could guess to some degree. Thinking it would probably be prudent, Draco shuffled his way over to the clock and carefully flicked the on switch on the back, careful not to make the clock move even an inch before it started vibrating across the table. 

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING 

The three of them flinched as the ringing alarm was unexpectedly loud and just outright unexpected for the raven haired and ginger youth. Potter's hands were over his ears and his knee was covered in red wine (that was unfortunate, that shit was hard to get out of clothes), his glass cup shattered on the carpet beside his booted foot. (He must've dropped it at the unexpected sound). 'Haha' Draco snickered into his palm again and tried not cringe at the noise himself. Hopefully they would notice the time soon and start running, like their lives (in Potter's case) depended on it. 

. . . . .

 

"Fuck!" 

"Fuck!" 

"Harry please stop swearing." 

Draco nodded as he rushed down the stairs behind them, close on their heels, still under the invisiblity cloak so they didn't notice anyone was following them. Potter hadn't stopped swearing or running and skipping five or so steps every couple of staircases since he'd picked up the alarm clock, swore profusely, threw it at the opposing wall and staggered to the door still swearing, Granger hot on his heels. 

She herself didn't look overly pleased that they were going to be late for dinner, but it was just dinner for her; Potter on the other... Unfortunately had Snape before dinner. The fact that Potter was probably more than a little intoxicated wouldn't help his case in giving Snape excuses for his lateness for punishment, the fact he'd apparently skipped one such punishment already probably would make that nights punishment even worse. And if Potter couldn't sit when he came trudging into the Great Hall after said punishment, well then Draco would know what punishments his Head of House was giving the boy hero. Their Potions Class classmates too. 

Draco shook his head again as Potter nearly face planted on the concrete of the Great Hall's landing, thankfully Granger had reacted fast enough to get a good grip on the back of his collar and pull him upright; it left the both of them breathless but at least Potter didn't have a smashed in face. 

"Shit, thanks 'Mione." He breathed it out, one hand across his no doubt fast beating heart, the other keeping him upright on the stair's railing. Draco heard the girl's whispered response before all three of them stepped off the staircase completely and trudged closer to the Great Hall; however, Draco remembered he needed to hide then reappear casually without an invisiblity cloak and Potter suddenly remembered why they had been in such a hurry in the first place. 

And swore again with a smack to his forehead for good measure. 

"See you later, 'Mione!" He skiddered round the corner and went down the dungeon's staircase, Draco went behind the Humpback Witch's statue and uncloaked himself; his thoughts still very much on Potter, hoping he wouldn't trip down the stairs in his haste and snap his neck. 

......

Harry took in a deep breath as he slid across the concrete and came to a stop in front of their classroom, strange that the floor had been slippery though? Maybe someone spilt something on the floor after coming out of their last class? He was frowning down at his shoes when the door banged open and Snape was standing in the opening, a hand wrapped around the door's wood and his face contorted into a scowl. 

"Mister Potter, you are late; get. in. side. now." 

Harry gulped as he scrunched his hands into the material of his trousers and shuffled inside. He still felt a tad unsteady on his feet, perhaps he shouldn't of drunk an entire bottle of red wine?...It had been red wine right? He furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He jumped when the door banged shut, a lock clicked into place and a large hand fell to his shoulder, the mans nails began to dig as he steered Harry into his already opened office. 

"You are, prepared I hope for a worse punishment then you were going to get?" He stood him in front of the desk, positioned Harry's hands and legs himself and rounded the desk to grab the (in Harry's opinion) torturing device. 

"Well? Are you?" He slapped the ruler across his own palm then flicked it; once again, Harry's trousers vanished. Did Snape want Harry to respond? He could barely concentrate enough to form coherent thoughts let alone respond to Snape's stupid (in Harry's opinion) questions. 

"Do you understand why you are, about, to be punished worse?" 

Harry nodded slowly, dreading how much worse it was going to be. 

"Why?" Not looking up, Harry heard the man begin to round him and felt his legs kicked further apart. He swallowed before slowly and hesitantly answering, mind still working a mile a minute just to say a few simple words like, 'I wasn't watching the time and I was late.' or 'Because you're an assshole?' (Of course this one he would not say aloud. Ever.) or 'I'm drunk and was confessing my feelings and my orientation to one of my best friends in the room of requirment. (Again, not something he'd ever say aloud to a Professor, let alone Snape). However he could say this... 

"I was late coming down here, Sir?" 

He heard a "Hmm" followed by a smack of a ruler to a bare expanse of his back, his shirt apparently bunched up halfway up his arched back. Had Snape done that? He was sure his shirt had been touching the top of his ass....just a few moments before... 

"You have quite the red ass already Mister Potter, do you think it was perhaps wise, you not, come late?" Harry gulped. 'Probably'. Was his silent thought. 

"Do you know something Mister Potter?" 

Harry remained silent, know what? 

"That you, technically, don't have any guardian to stop Hogwarts teachers from punishing you how they see fit?" 

They did? They could do that? He hadn't known that.... Was Snape hinting at something? Was this not usual punishment? 

"I find it...interesting. Normally I wouldn't be able to smack a child how I have been with you; parents don't allow it, see...but with you, with no guardians, I can punish you however I want, and not even Dumbledore could do anything about it; after all, you're offense was to me, personally...any other teacher would probably do the same if they weren't so scared." He sneered. 

Scared? 

How bad was this punishment supposed to be now? He was making Harry scared. ...And he had guardians, they just didn't give a fuck...

"I'm going to go a little further and make sure it hurts. After all, skipping, tardiness, intoxication, I won't stand for it. Understand?" He smacked the ruler across his ass cheeks this time, both of them and hard. Harry whimpered, placing his heated face against the coolness of the mahogany desk. Did he smell that much like booze? 

Wait... did he say...

A hot hand suddenly touched his rear and the ruler appeared in his vision as it was placed beside his head, centremeters away. But why was...? Why was Snape's hand on his rear?! He jumped again as the other hand came to accompany the other on his other cheek. What was Snape doing?! 

He swallowed. 

"I would recommend you relax." 

He started to breath ragidly, closing his eyes tightly and biting into his lip as he heard these words and felt the accompaning spread of his ass cheeks and something cool, wet and goopy touch his entrance. The fuck?! The fuck?! The fuck was Snape doing?! He tried to jerk away but since he was already bent and leaning over the desk, he couldn't go very far. 

"I said relax!" It wasn't a shout but it was loud enough, Harry flinched. 

Within moments something else was being touched to his entrance, something rubbery, middle sized and definitely didn't belong inside of him. How was something like this going to make his punishment worse? Was this already worse? It was, right? His brain couldn't quite keep up with what was going on, he just knew it wasn't something he wanted and certaintly not done by Snape. 

He heard muttering behind him as Snape lowered himself onto his knees, pushed Harry's cheeks further apart and pressed slowly inward with the thing. Harry dearly wanted to know what Snape was trying to shove inside of him. "Relax." A smack of his right hand on Harry's right butt cheek made him jump, making his pucker clench around the tip of the thing inside him and making him groan. 

.....

"Ahhhn.." Harry's eyes were still screwed tightly shut as he groaned and breathed out ragidly; the thing inside of him completely now. It had taken some minutes but Snape had finally pushed the thing deep inside of Harry, though the fact it was now vibrating wasn't doing Harry any favours on the groaning front; it was actually making him slightly aroused, was it supposed to? 

Snape had given him more alchohol too, which was strange; he'd given the man a funny look as it was being poured and handed to him magically, Snape still pressing the uhm, 'toy' inside of him dilligently with one hand so he could stand now and eye Harry and his reactions. Well, that's what Harry thought the man was doing.... It had to be one of the strangest punishments he'd ever recieved... 

He certaintly welcomed the alchohol though, what with the way this seemed to be going.... Snape wasn't going to fuck him, was he? WAS HE?! 

His eyes bugged out suddenly and his mouth fell opened, opening and closing effortlessly like a fish out of water; was that was Snape wanted? He was...Harry'd never had sex before, was his first time going to be with his teacher? A former Death Eater? A 30 something year old man, who never washes his hair and doesn't have the most handsome face in the world? He blinked rapidly and swallowed thickly, his entrance clenching around the toy in his anus. 

However before he could get much further in his hypervantilating, the ruler had disappeared from his right pepherial vision and had come down in the middle of his ass, straight ontop of the toy stretching his ass wide, with a resounding smack and his own loud whimper. 

WoAH. . . .WoAH. He shook his head profusely against the wooden surface of the desk, his hair spread out and tangling as he did so. Snape wasn't kidding, he wasn't kidding! Shoving that thing inside of him had actually made the smacking worse. Was that Snape's true intention?! 

He heard a low chuckle from behind him and something pushed the thing completely back in, though of course the something was Snape's free hand. The other still held the ruler in a firm grasp as he smacked again and again, chuckling lowly at Harry's whimpering and silent sobbing. Oh it hurt, it so hurt!! 

But... there was something else making him whimper, when the smacks hit directly across it, when Snape spread his cheeks and aimed, it pushed against something inside of him, just inside of him, something...something good... He groaned and his face heated further as the ruler did exactly that, wacked clean across the thing wedged inside of him. 

 

//\\\//\\\

Strangely enough, the punishment didn't last for an awfully long time and by the time the ruler and the toy was withdrawn from within him and placed in front of him on the desk, he'd come twice unintentionally from the ''something good'' being rubbed by the...large...black...pointy...buttplug? that had been inside of him. He eyed it as he slowly stepped back into his pants and trousers, refreshed and cleaned of course by a quick eyeroll and flick of the wrist in his dazed direction. 

"Quickly now Mister Potter, before your friends wonder further want your punishments are. Dinner also, is not over for another 20 minutes, perhaps a meal would not go amiss?" His black eyed board into Harry's dulled green ones as he flicked them between himself and the buttplug that sat atop his desk. "Go, to dinner. Mister Potter." 

Jumping at the commanding tone of his Professor, Harry finally zipped his pants up, buttoned the button, pulled his rumpled shirt back down properly, grabbed his wand from the chair behind him with shaking hands and with a "Yes Professor." He, as quick as lightening, fled through the opened office door and began to turn the handle on the potions classroom door, ready to go, to get out of his Professor presence. He'd been humilated, punished and what abused all in the same moment, just a moment ago by said Professor. It couldn't of been allowed could it? 

"Forgetting something?" 

Harry jumped again as the man's silky voice came from behind him; he didn't turn as a wash of magic fell over him once more and the handle seem to make a sound remensicent of lock unclicking, since it didn't actually have a lock itself and he'd forgotten all about the locking spell he'd heard locking into place when he'd entered earlier. As soon as the door was unlocked, he turned the handle, gave another nod to his Professor and sped out of the classroom like his life depended on it. 

....

He slowed his pace when he got to the Great Hall landing, deciding wether he should really attending dinner like his Professor had demanded? Would he be punished again if he didn't? He gave a little rub to his posterior absently and with a deep sigh, backtracked from the five steps he'd walked up and headed to the Great Hall's large oak doors. They swung open when he approached and he tried not groan in displeasure as everyone's heads turned his direction, of course, he would be the only one currently not in the Great Hall for dinner that night, not a single bench was uninhabited and the chairs at the Head Table were all occupied, even Snape's, seemed the man had come in unnoticed. 

"Mate?" 

Ron's half mumbled word, had several people turning to face him and rinkle their noses. Harry did the same, as he had, unfortunately seen the small peices of chicken flying from his mouth as he spoke, even from this distance and around Hermione's bushy head half stuck inside of a large book. 

Harry shook his messy head and pushed his glasses up his nose as he slowly walked the rest of the way into the Hall and over to his House Table, the eyes watching him were unnerving but the Silver ones were even more so, somehow these were the ones that he most noticed, straight off the bat as soon as he'd entered the Great Hall; they even felt as if they were narrowing now as he, unable to help doing so, limped a little making his way to his friends. He hesitated too as Hermione distractedly patted the seat beside herself, eyes still trained the offwhite pages of the book she read. 

"Somethin' the mat'er mate?" 

Groaning a little Harry shook his head at his other best friend and slowly situated himself on the bench under the watchful eyes of Hogwarts students and faculty.

 

//\\\//\\\

A Couple Weeks Later. . . . .

Draco practically growled as he stormed his way through the Slytherin Common Room, Arithmancy books, ink, quill and spare parchments all stuffed underneath his arm, trying to tune out his two most annoying ''best'' friends, he wouldn't really call them as such, but since they'd known each other since they were babies, he supposed they knew each other well enough like Potter, Granger and Weasley. 

"GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS, LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!" He finally snapped, eyes blazing almost molten silver, he spun on his heel before the hidden entrance to their common room and stamped his foot as he shouted right in their faces, with no more than a quick look, he spun back again, snarled and stormed his way into the dark, dank, chilled corridors of the dungeons. 

He had not been having a good week. 

Potter and his friend Granger had been following him around all week, though mostly he assumed Potter had just roped Granger into helping, because the week before it had only been a paling, seriously deterioating Potter doing the following.

Pansy and Blaise wouldn't leave him alone either and kept following him everywhere, not that that wasn't the usual, it just irritated him more than usual. 

Then because he'd skipped a couple Arithmancy classes because of...reasons...he'd been forced by the teacher to hand in a foot of parchment on what they were currently learning about, because yes, he would know that?! So now he had to study diligently on his Arithmancy class in order to hand in said foot of parchment on a concept he had no clue about. It was hard as fuck. 

Then because he'd been worried about not passing his Arithmancy exam the following week, and hence not paying attention in potions, he'd for once actually blown up the potion he'd been brewing, effectively 1. Causing Potter (Who had again, claimed residence at his work bench) and himself to be covered in god only knows what, that would do god only knows what. (thankfully it hadn't cause more than an itch and an apparently temporary (disturbing) mind link with Potter. 2. Earning himself a detention with Snape that same night. And 3. Apparently having the strangely not displeasing, slightly displeasing, pleasure of seeing Potter come out of his ''punishment'' sessions with Snape looking decidedly flushed and still more than a little pale and clammy. 

Right now, because hey what the hell, he'd decided to stamp his way down to the Potion's Master's office, afterall to his Slytherin's his door was always open. Though...it appeared...it was not tonight. He reared back slightly and dropped a book or four, when a sudden loud SMACK followed by an even louder Scream, echoed through the closed door and resounded a little around the deserted, bar himself of course, dimly lit dungeon corridor. 

After that night when he'd eavesdropped on Potter and Granger's ''conversation'' in the room of requirement, or ''come and go room'' as the know-it-all had revered to it once before, the previous year, and then seen the state in which Potter had come into dinner after his ''punishment'' with Snape...He'd been more than a little curious what sort of Punishments he'd been recieving, he'd been given more of a clue when he'd taken notice of the slight wince from Potter from behind as he'd seated himself next Granger and the small limp he'd had a prior...that flushed look a couple days ago...exactly what were these punishments of Potter's?? 

Shuffled his books into a pile and toeing them into the wall behind him, he shoved the rest of his stuff atop them and took a cautious step closer, for all the world ready eavesdrop if he could from here, it seemed after that initial smack and scream everything had gone quiet, perhaps Snape had noticed he was without a silencing spell? Or he'd somehow shut Potter up, because Draco, Draco was certain it had been Potter who had screamed only a moment ago from within those classroom, office, walls. 

......

He was there, with his ass jutting out and his ear pressed to the old dark wood when the door sudden sprung open and he fell forward, arms flayling about to try and snag on something to prevent him from smashing his face in. Luckily, a hand, accopanied by another caugh him by the shoulders and righted him. He was patting himself down trying to seem nonchalant when he finally looked up and took in the flushed and bemused face of Harry Potter and the scowling and lowered brows of Severus Snape, his Head of House. 

"Mister Malfoy. What a pleasure to have you pressing your face into my door, is there something you needed?" He purred. 

Draco gulped and licked his lips, quickly taking a couple steps backwards. "No...And I wasn't..." 

"You weren't?" His eyebrow raised in disbelief, even Potter's did as he coughed into his hands harshly. Draco tried not to widen his eyes at the sound or the large hand that patted Potter lightly on the back to ease his distress. 

"Mister Malfoy?" 

He bit his lip as he looked up into those dark fathomless eyes. "I...I came to ask you for help." 

"Help?" 

Harry threw his knapsack over his shoulder and prepared to leave. Snape's hand caught him by the arm and he narrowed his eyes. Harry paused in his one step and lowered it back to the concrete of the Potions Classroom. Draco blinked through this, his mind working a mile a minute as his mouth spoke for him. "I think I can do it by myself though...I probably should in fact, so I'll just be--" 

"Not so fast Draco." 

He really did swallow as he slowly turned back around at his given name. 

"Did you perhaps hear Mister Potter being punished?" 

Draco watched Potter watching his adams apple working around the words caught in his throat. "Um..." 

"Did you?" 

He just nodded, slowly, eyes closed tight. 

"Hmm. Well I'm sure it will remain in only your hearing, yes?" 

Draco made sure to nod without hesitation, besides why would he want to tell anybody, he was the only that should be able to know, that should be able to snoop around and figure out what punishments he endured at the hands of their Professor. If the flushed look from Potter was any indication everytime he came out Snape's office, then Snape wasn't doing anything terribly bad or horrid. The boy would be in tears otherwise, or be in a fit of anger, wouldn't he? 

Not flushed. That was for certain. 

Draco looked between them before nodding silently and answering verbally, "Yes, you can rest assured Professor, it will stay in only mine." His silver eyes were trained to Harry's green though as he spoke quietly and slowly then turned around, picked up his things, nodded again to both of them, shooting a brief concerned look at Potter at his decreasing health issue and strode back the way he had come, intent on finding a different place to study now, he guessed. 

.....

"That went awfully well..." Harry uttered. 

"Mm. Indeed. To bed with you Harry and be careful on the stairs, that trick step has been on the move lately." He tapped his head to the teens bottom and shoved until the messy raven haired teen was out his door. 

"Goodnight Professor..." He was looking up shyly and rubbing his bottom with both hands distractedly. 

Severus smirked. "Goodnight Harry." He shut the door then, on the glittering green eyes and flushed pale face of his disobedient, irritating, incorigable, bratty, stubborn, sexily moaning Sixth Year student, Harry Potter. 

 

//\\\//\\\

July 31st. 

Harry James Potter's Sixteenth Birthday Arrives. 

It was perhaps a good thing that Harry had been forced, once again, to return to the Dursley's for that break. 

He had felt it, the moment he'd begun to act differently, he'd currently been in the backgarden deweeding their ''perfectly'' ordianary green and weed free garden when he'd suddenly fallen forwards, hands catching him before he'd face planted the ground in question as his vision suddenly began to swim and his breathing had quickened and it had become harder to breath. The Dursley's had been in the kitchen, Petunia Dursley had been at the sink, looking through the kitchen window into their perfect back garden when she'd seen him double over and stop his chore. Of course, his stopping was her problem not the fact he was already unwell and now he could neither see or breath properly and he had glasses on and their was a chilling breeze whipping around him that very moment. 

He'd felt her grab him by the arm and drag him to his feet, uttering some very choice words he ignored dilligently as she threw him into the kitchen and Vernon took over, dragging him to his feet, up the stairs and into his bedroom, he was thrown unceremoniously onto his bedroom floor and his door was locked expertly from the outside by the many locks that had adored it for the last four years, since he'd turned 12, and they'd been scared into giving him Dudley's second bedroom. 

Slowly Harry crawled himself over to his bed, dragged himself blindly onto it and drew the covers over himself. He was worried, scared even. 

He could barely breath, he couldn't see even with his glasses, (he threw them now across the room in a fit of peaque), so how was he going to write a letter to his friends, send them off with Hedwig, (which he didn't even know was in his room or not?), to get help? Was he doomed? He was scared he really was ill, seriously ill...He was regretting not seeing Madam Pomfrey after Snape had told him too, after his friends had told him too. 

He sighed and tugged the blanket around him tighter as he settled in, feeling defeated. 

. . . . .

The time flew by without him even realising, really he'd been dozing when his alarm had suddenly went off, the letters written there in green neon; 12:00 am.   
Though of course with his now lack of sight, he couldn't see them, he could however guess. 

It was again, perhaps a good thing that Harry had been forced, once again, to return to the Dursley's for that break as suddenly, a high ptiched scream broke the silence of the ordinary, boring neibourhood of Privet Drive in Surrey, waking everyone within number four and those within the street. Lights went on everywhere and several people even entered into the street, torches in hand and tired eyes being scrubbed by small hands. In number four however, as the lights flared, footsteps echoed their way to Harry's bedroom, fists bounding on the door even as the locks were being unlocked, and the bright light from within flared brighter, Harry's screams becoming louder in the less silent neibourhood; their were shouts now, inside and out. 

"What the hell is going on, I have work in the morning!?" 

"My babies need sleep!" 

There was pounding on the door of number four privet drive as someone worked out where it was coming from. 

"Shut that hellish music up will you?!" 

"Quiet it down already! This is a quiet neibourhood!" 

"There are children in this neibourhood! Young children!" 

The banging got louder as a sudden ruckus down the street ensued with quite a few loud pops of apparating. The shouting was added too as Harry screamed louder, tears sliding down his cheeks as he kneeled on his bed, hands in his hair, head thrown back and screamed his throat raw, for some...some ungoldy reason he had no idea of. Why was he doing this?! He could hear himself whimper from within his screams in confusion and agony. 

It was however as those from down the street rushed to number four, drew their wands infront of muggles unhesitantingly, blew open the door without a care and rushed up the stairs, their hushed voices melding together and their bodies pushing that of the Dursley's out of the way and frowning for a minute at the amount of locks on the door that just as they were blowing this door to smithereens as well and standing wideeyed in the doorway, Harry's screams grew increasingly louder as he eyed them, Snape especially with dulled, wide, frightened, eyes and a tear stained face that these large, dark, feathery, dangerous looking wings sprouted from Harry's back, splattering the surrounding walls and himself with blood as he curled his arms around himself and began to whimper, his screams no longer echoing around the suberb. 

And just like that...it stopped. 

.....

There had been a meeting at Grimmauld Place, at the Order of the Pheonix Headquarters, when all those assigned to keep Potter safe at his relatives, to make sure he didn't attempt another runaway, had begun to chime with a warning signal, they had quickly called a halt to the meeting and those who had chimed had quickly apparated directly to Little Winging Surrey, at the end of the street of Privet Drive. 

They had rushed then upon seeing the ruckus and hearing the screams, seeing the light coming from a two-storey window down the street, toward said house. This of course, was number Four. The house in which the Dursley's residence and hence, where Harry Potter currently was. Their chiming grew louder as they unhaltingly, unhesitatedly withdrew their wands and blew open the front door and ran up the steps. 

Severus had been more than a little confused and disturbed at the amount of locks adorning the door in which the Dursley's stood before, the larger male, who he assumed to Vernon Dursley's, Harry's Uncle, had been trying to unlock them with fumbling fingers and loud shouts for the ''Freak'' to shut up. Severus, looking around him, had not been the only one disturbed to see this, of course he, was less obvious about showing his concern for that matter. 

As they blast open the door and looked up the scene within, Severus had been hard pressed to keep his mouth from hitting the floor or a gasp from escaping his throat. 

"What in the world?" He felt he had uttered it and keepen still, but apaprently that had not been the case as a scarred hand had fallen infront of him, across his chest and answer utter was being whispered close to his ear. 

"My question exactly Severus, though perhaps it's best we stand back for now." 

.....

When Harry had calmed down, was just whimpering, sobbing, cradled within these enormous black wings, and the hand that had been holding him back retreated, Severus took those cautious steps forward first, ebony wand in hand in case Potter tried something, in case Potter was no longer Potter, worse case scenario. He hoped this was not the case as he came closer and murmured, barely above a whisper in case loud noises from him. "Potter?" 

He took an involuntary step backwards as the creature growled and Harry's wings lifted themselves into a menacing striking pose above him. Severus swallowed and took that step back, standing his ground even as the wings moved lower to keep him in their ''sights''. 

Perhaps.... "Harry?" 

There was whimpering this time and small cracked voice, "S--Sn--" Harry hiccuped then and the wings fell limp, their tips trailing on the floor before Severus feet. It seemed the teen wasn't quite able to speak yet; they however needed to get him out of here and to Grimmauld Place, it wasn't the best place but they couldn't take him to Hogwarts yet...They needed to know what this was, why Harry had suddenly become this...this creature. And they needed to obliviate all these Muggles....He sighed.

"Do you know where you are Harry?" 

The wings fluttered as the boy shivered unconsciously and then nodded. 

"Do you know how old you are?" 

Again the wings fluttered as Harry nodded, this time though he seemed to be to get out "Sixteen." Severus frowned a little before he remembered it had been the brats birthday and he was to be taken to the Weasley's for a surprise birthday party that same day. He shook his head as he realised this may no longer be possible...

"Severus could we do this elsewhere, I've just contacted the Aurors, we'd best get out of here now before they see this." The werewolf gestured to Harry's ''unique'' appearance and he nodded reluctantly, yes it would be best, their could be spies amongst the Aurors, it was best this....incident didn't come within Voldemort's hearing. 

"Let us go then." "Harry, can you stand?" 

Shivering almost unconrtollably, Harry clenched his hands and tried to stand, he didn't quite give off the bed before he went tumbling; Severus thankfully caught him before he could fall completely and crack open his head on the metal of his own bed. Such an old one it was too, he frowned at this then winced as something started scratching along his rolled up sleeves. 

"Ha--Harry?" He hissed it through clenched teeth as he looked down at his left forearm. 

The green eyes looked up at him as the wings, drew themselves up off the floor slowly. "Please refrain from trying to claw me." They blinked, several times before the words seemed to register, the green wandered slowly to his arm and the claws that clung to his skin, some of them embedding with it and the skull tattoo that marred his otherwise pale skin. 

They narrowed then, the emerald eyes, the claws aswell, they dung further into his skin as he heard hiss just below of his chin. Harry's head was leaning against his chest now, messy haired pressed against himm in a clump of tangles and drying blood. They needed to get to Grimmauld Place, quickly. He could hear the popping of the Auror's down the street and cursed as he tried to move and the nails dug deeper. 

"An apparating spot Harry, where?" 

A hiss and the words seemed to register just as someone, probably Remus spoke "Why would Harry know where one is?" 

Severus ignored the words and repeated his own, unaware the words, both of them had registered. "Outside, behind the garden shed..." Harry muttered. Nodding, Severus carefully and slowly picked Harry's half leaning form up from the ground and into his arms. 

"Is there anyway you can retract them, your wings, so they don't hit anything on the way down?" He hissed himself as the pain in his arm became worse, ignored the looks he was recieving in concern for his arm as well as he waited for Harry to answer. 

"Not sure..." Seemed all his answers were short and said in something a kin to a sort of daze like state. 

"Very well..." He winced mentally and physically as they headed downstairs and behind the garden shed, someone else gathering and carrying some of Harry's possessions and apparating with them. 

//\\\//\\\

They apparated into the park across the street, he allowed for Tonks to open creaky park gate and waited, patiently and in silent agony for the Order Headquarters to reveal itself to them, slowly and very loudly, it was a wonder why no one ever noticed, it shook the entire building to as it revealed itself, but that was magic he supposed. They made their way inside slowly too, careful to make sure he didn't bump Harry into anything as he continued to claw into his left arm with occasional hisses and growls while resting his head on Severus chest. 

"Ah Severus back are we?" 

"Yes Headmaster." 

The old coot didn't seem the least surprised by the strange appearance of the only existing Potter. He narrowed his black eyes suspiciously but widened them when something white came zipping through the opened door behind the Headmaster and crashed into him with an "Oomph." 

Harrry hiss and bit into his neck, "Hssss. Potter." He growled, disloging the boy from his arms and placing him on the ground, his eyes turned then to the blonde that had caused the boy to bite him and dig further into his flesh; as it was, his arm was covered in blood and you could no longer see any flesh color beneath. 

The blonde in front of him swallowed thickly upon seeing it, "Did...Did Potter do that?" 

Harry whipped around as he heard the other teens voice. Seeming to come to his senses and revert back to a semblence of himself, to quite the same but close, and blinked around the haze of red in his vision as he spoke, voice low. "Did I do what? And why are you here." 

Everyone in the corridor, small hallway from the entrance all turned to frown down at Harry. Eyes flicking between the two teens, Severus was curious as well but he wasn't overly surprised...the boy had been there before, of course that was when neither Black or Potter had been. 

Draco blinked, scratching at his left eye with irritation etched into his features. "Because it's the Black House and Order Headquarters?" "That." He pointed without hesitation toward Severus left arm, of course his eyes didn't leave Harry's green as he spoke around a thick swallow. 

Harry's eyes first turned to the arm, blinked, frowned, looked down at his bloodied hands then up to Severus face. Severus blinked back at him, dark eyes unforunately letting his agony seep through to show the teen that he had indeed to that. Harry took a deep breath, frowned again, swallowing thickly after licking his lips several times and grabbed Severus arm cerimoniously. "Potter what are you doing?" He hissed. 

He bit the inside of his cheek and pouted as he ran his fingers through the blood and flesh, it was sickening and made his stomach churn but regardless, it was a necessary thing to---

Gasp. 

Harry smiled in trimuph and unbuttoned his only blood splattered shirt, running it across Severus arm slowly until it was no longer bloody. "There." 

Looking between his now unmarked arm and Potter's green eyes and smiling mouth, he opened and closed his mouth, "Potter you--" 

"You were calling me Harry before." He was almost sure Potter had wanted to stamp his foot at this proclamation. Sighing he nodded, he had indeed, but they weren't alone here and he'd needed to speak his given name in order to not be skewed by still dangerous looking wings. 

"Wait." "Wait. wait. wait." Draco held up his hands and Harry frowned at him. 

"You are still suspicious for being here..." 

"I'm not a Death Eater Potter, how many times must I tell you that!" He practically screamed it into Harry's face and everyone who'd seen Harry change gasped, Severus too, his hands were held out in front of him to try and warn Draco before he said something stupid. 

Harry's eyes narrowed and he took a menacing step forward. "You have the mark." 

"He had the mark!" He pointed behind Harry, who was now standing in front of him. 

"Yes. So?" 

"He was too, once upon a time! I never was though, I promise! I'm a spy! A spy!" He held up his hands to try and placate Harry. Obviously seeing something none of them could, he took a step backwards so Harry took a step forwards, keeping him within arm reaching distance. 

"Ok..." 

"Ok?" 

"Ok." 

Draco seemed to visibly relax. 

"But!" 

"But?!" 

"Prove to me you're not a Death Eater." 

Draco blinked, scratching his eye again. "How?" 

"Hmm." Harry's head tilted upwards as his wings lifted themselves to their full height, in doing so making Draco retreat another step. Harry took another step forward. They were almost upon the kitchen now and their were several people standing in that doorway watching, apparently those several people included the Weasley's and Miss Granger. 

Harry's head tilted back down and Severus could only guess that he was smiling, or smirking as Draco's face held something to hint as much. 

'How about this Draco? '

Draco swallowed. 

"How is that going to help?" Everyone frowned, not having heard Harry speak. 

'Let me see. '

"See?" He seemed more on edge as he back back into the wall next to the kitchen door. 

"Mm. See." Harry finally said. 

"I don't under--" He gasped. 

Harry lifted his eyebrow and everyone watched slowly as the blonde began to cower in the corner. His head bowed to his chest and you could hear a sob every now and then but other than that no one understood what was going on. 

//\\\//\\\

It had been going on for quite sometime, occasionally you would hear little muttering from the blonde teen in the corner and little sobs or hiccups, other times it was Harry himself muttering words of soothing or encouragement as he kneeled before older teen. (Draco was already 16, his Birthday April 9th). 

Harry had finally put a stop to it when they were halfway through eating Mrs Weasley's wonderfully made dinner's, even when they weren't hungry and had just come back from a midnight rescue or mission or any other time really when they did these, they always ate her cooking. It was there, in abundance, but luckily with as many as there was in the Order and there were at most usually 20 or so at one time at Headquarters, it would never go to waste as someone was usually ravenous or they would eat it for breakfast or lunch the next day. 

"Alright, calm down Draco." 

Sniffle. 

Sniffle. 

"I'm sorry. I just wanted the conformation, okay?" 

Hesitant nod. 

"Let's go eat yeah? I'm kind of hungry..." His stomach seemed to growl as if on cue in agreement with his words and there was a chuckle from the blonde in response. They walked in then, sitting down beside each other in the only two vacants chairs at the enlargened table. 

"Everything better?" Severus was still awe that his Dark Mark was finally gone. 

"Yes." Harry spoke, a fork full of chicken to his mouth, he frowned secondly before popping the food into his mouth and...promptly spitting it back out. He kept his eyes closed for a good half a minute before Mrs Weasley spoke, sounding a bit hurt. 

"Is something wrong with the chicken dear?" 

Severus shook his head, as did half the table. "Nothing Mrs Weasley, it's wonderful actually. I comend your cooking skills. I presume that is Mr Potter and his current...appearance getting in the way of your wonderful cooking." 

"I think..." Oh here we go, Severus thought. 

"Yes Miss Granger, what is it you think?" Her brown eyes frowned at him before she turned back to Harry, who was looking at her, a worried expression on his features. 

"I think Professor, that I've seen Harry's current...''features'' in a book before." Everyone rolled their eyes. She ignored them. 

"It was in a dark arts text from the restricted section, a book i'd never seen before too, I'd of loved to study it more but it went missing some months back, not even Madam Pince seems to know where it is, let alone what it was, but...whatever Harry has become, or how really being the question, is something I'm sure was read as *insert awesome name for creature here*"


End file.
